Grinding



Patented Nov. l |898. E. BAGNALL. GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND PULISHING GLASS.

(Application tiled Mar. 12, 189B.)

3 Sheets-Sleet I.

(N0 Model.)

Inma/Z50 7;' Edwurdngnw 7 No. 6I3,227. Patented Nov. l, |898. E. BAGNALL. GRINDING, SMUDTHING, AND PULISHING GLASS.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Nu Model.)

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N0. 6|3,227. Patented NOV. l, |898.

E. BAGNALL.

GRINDING, SMOOTHING, AND POLISHING GLASS.

(Application filed Mar. 12. 1898.)

(No Model.)

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\ 177,06 @foi/5 Edu/m25 JJ @l/QA? NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

EDWARD BAGNALL, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

GRINDING, SMOOTHING,

AND POLISHING GLASS;

SPECIFICATION forming perf; of Letters Patent No. 613,227, dated November 1, 189s.

Application filed March 12, 1898.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BAGNALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grinding, Smoothing, and Polishing Glass, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in grinding, smoothing, and polishing plateglass by the operation of attaching the plates of glass to a revoluble table which moves the plates rapidly under the grinding and polishing mechanism, and has special reference to tables employing atmospheric pressure or vacuum beneath the glass as a means for securing the glass plates to the table.

The objects of this invention are to improve, simplify, and render efficient the means for producing and maintaining the vacuum at the table, to provide means for controlling the speed of the table in its rotation, and to provide means for removing the glass from the table readily when the grinding is completed without the employment of skilled labor, as has been. heretofore required because of the great adhesion which has been developed by the removal of the air between the glass plates and the supporting-table.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a grinding and polishing table for plate-glass, showing my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2, a plan view of same, showing one-half of the table broken away to show the driving-pulley beneath; Fig. 3, a detail in side elevation of the belt-tightener mechanism for regulating the tension of the belt which drives the table; and Fig. 4e is a detail in vertical section of the table through its axis of revolution, showing the method of packing the joint of the pipe which leads from the table to the vacuum-chamber and apparatus for producing the exhaust.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A represents the table, which is supported on a standard B. The standard is maintained in a vertical position in the usual manner and Serial No. 673,548. (No model.)

is hollow, and passing longitudinally and centrally through it is a pipe C. The standard, and with it the table supported by it, has rotary movement, but the pipe C remains stationary. A chamber A is formed under the table-top, and inlets aare formed at frequent intervals through the top. The pipe C terminates with this chamber and forms a discharge through which the air in the chamber A' is exhausted by means of suitable apparatus, as will be hereinafter explained, and a suction will be created through the openings a, whereby the plates of glass to be ground and polished will when placed in position on the top of the table be retained in place thereon by the suction induced by the vacuum in the chamber A. A packing d, of canton flannel or other suitablematerial, will be interposed'between the glass plates and the top of the table. The openings a will taper inwardly and will be filled with rubber plugs D when the glass plates are not large enough to cover all of them in order to preserve the vacuum, which would otherwise be lost.

E is a chamber of sufficient capacity that when a practical vacuum is produced therein it will be amply sufficient to exhaust the air from the chamber in the table immediately without waiting on the slower action of the air-pumps, and F represents the air-pumps, which may be of any usual and operative construction, which are connected with the chamber Ein a manner to pump the air therefrom and produce a vacuum in said chamber. The pipe C is connected with the chamber E and is provided with a valve c, whereby the connection through the pipe may be closed at will.

As the standard B revolves about the stationary pipe O a close it between the standard and the pipe will only be desired at one point, and that will be at the Itop, where the pipe connects with the table, and there an air-tight joint will be required. As the pressure will be all inwardly from the outside, I provide a joint and pack it in the manner as shown in Fig. 4, in which the upper end of the pipe C, with the outside annular iiange C', is dropped down into a socket in the lower plate of the table-top. A packing-ring O2 is placed on top of the flange and overlaps the adjacent table-top enough to close the joint ICO between the iiange and the table. A locking-plate A3 is bolted down onto the packing to hold it in place. The flange may have a packing between its underside and the table; but that is not essential, except when air under pressure is forced in to loosen the plates preparatory to removal, as the outside atmospheric pressure will all be upward at other times. 'lhe joint as above described will be air-tight and will permit of the rotation of the table and standard, while the pipe C remains stationary.

In order to release the plates of glass when it is desired to turn them over or to remove them, I provide a reservoir of compressed air G, which is connected by the pipe II with the leading-in pipe C, and provide a valve 7L, whereby when it is so desired the compressed air can be admitted to the chamber under the glass plates and the latter loosened by the upward pressure ofthe air. I have shown the reservoir G as being supplied with compressed air by the same pumps which exhaust the air from the tank E; but manifestly other and separate pumps may be used for this purpose without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Mis a steam-engine, electric motor, or any other mechanism for supplying power.

N is a pulley which is driven by the engine and which is connected, preferably by means of a wire cable n, with the pulley I on the standard B, whereby the standard and its table are rotated. To balance the strain on the standard and keep it in a horizontal position, I prefer to make the pulley P with double grooves and extend a second belt n' from thence to and around a wheel N, which is secured to one of the framing-posts of the building or other fixed support on the opposite side of the table from the engine. The tension of the belt can be regulated by running the nut o in or out on the threaded bolt O, which fastens the wheel N to the post.

T are belt-tighteners by which the belt or cable n can be tightened up to regulate the speed of the revolving table or loosened, whereby the rotation of the table can be instantly stopped.

T is a horizontal bar carrying a vertical and elongated pulley t at its inner end.

U is a standard having the notched segment u and upward extensions u', to which the bar T' is connected by the two links V, whereby a constantly horizontal longitudinal movement of the bar T is secured. A lateral pin w (shown by dotted lines) projects from the bar T into a longitudinal slot in the lever XV. The lever W is pivoted at its lower end to the frame or standard U and is provided with the dog w' to enter the notches in the segment. By shifting the lever the bar T can be moved, and the adjustment thus given to it can be retained by the dog and notched segment.

I am aware that plates of glass have been held for grinding and polishing on a hollow perforated table by a partial Vacuum produced by exhausting the air from the chamber in the table, said exhaust being effected through the hollow revoluble standard which supports the table and not through a separate stationary air-pipe, and such construction I do not claim as my invention; but

What I do claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A hollow glass-holding table having a multiplicity of apertures in close proximity to each other, a hollow revoluble standard on which the table is mounted, a stationary pipe passing centrally through the standard and communicating with the chamber in the hollow table, and air-exhaust mechanism connected with the lower end of the pipe whereby a practical vacuum is produced in the chamber of the table, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with a glass polishing or grinding mechanism, of a hollow table, a stationary pipe communicating with air-exhaust mechanism and with the table whereby' the plate or plates of glass are held on the table by vacuum or atmospheric pressure said air-exhaust pipe having a valve, and a compressed-air supply connected with the stationary air-exhaust pipe between the valve and the hollow table, said compressed-airsupply pipe having a valve, all substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

3. A hollow revoluble glass-holding table having a plurality of apertures in close proximity to each other through its upper plate and an opening through its lower plate countersunk on the inner side of the plate, a stationary air-exhaust pipe projected through the opening in the lower plate of the table and having an outside flange seated in the countersink of the opening, packing around the fiange to make an air-tight joint and means for holding the pipe and packing.

4. A glass grinding and polishing tablehaving a chamber, said chamber being connected with an air-exhaust and with a compressedair supply through a single stationary pipe for the purposes speciiied.

5. A hollow glass-holding table having a plurality of inwardly tapering apertures through its upper plate and a central aperture through its lower plate, a plug or plugs to close one or more of said tapering apertures, a hollow revoluble standard to support the table, a stationary pipe projected centrally and longitudinally of the standard and terminating with an air-tight joint at the opening through the lower plate of the hollow ta` ble, said joint permitting rotative movement of the table around the pipe, a vacuum-chamber connected with the lower end of the pipe and means connected with said last-mentioned chamber for exhausting the air therefrom.

G. A hollow glass-holding table having a plurality of inwardly tapering apertures through its upper plate and a central ap- IOO IIO

erture with an upper surrounding socket through its lower plate, a plug or plugs to close one or more of said tapering apertures, a hollow revoluble standard to support the table, a stationary pipe projected centrally and longitudinally of the standard and terminating with an outside iiange which is seated in the socketed opening through the lower plate of the hollow'table, a packing above and a packing below the flange makin g an air-tight joint both ways but permitting rotative movement of the table around the pipe, a vacuumchamber connected with the lower end of the pipe and means connected with said last-mentioned chamber for exhausting the air therefrom.

7. A hollow revoluble glass-holding table having a plurality of apertures in close proximity to each other, a stationary air-exhaust pipe connecting with the chamber in the table, a revoluble standard supporting the iable, having a belt-pulley mounted thereon, a belt driven from any suitable source of power, passing around the .pulley on the standard and means for changing the tension of the belt to regulate the speed of the table said means consisting of vertical laterally-recipro;

eating drums to contact with the cable, levers to reciprocate the drums, a notched segment and a dog on the lever to engage the notches ofthe segment and hold any given adjustment of the lever, substantially as described and specified.

8. A hollow revoluble glass-holding table having a plurality of apertures in close proximity to each other, a stationary air-exhaust pipe connecting with the chamber in the table, a revoluble standard supporting the table, having a double pulley mounted thereon, a driving-pulley, a rope belt connecting the driving-pulley with the pulley on the standard, a fixed 'pulley on the opposite side of the standard from the driving-pulley and a belt connecting said fixed pulley with the pulley on the standard, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at'Kokomo, Howard county, Indiana, this 4th day of March, A. D. 1898.

EDWARD BAGNALL. '[L. s.]

Witnesses:

FRANK N. STRATTON, JOE C. HERRON. 

